A decision is looming for the Cincinnati Reds, and this weekend likely will go a long way toward making it.

Ace Johnny Cueto (lat) had been set to begin a rehab assignment Friday but has had a setback, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. That takes some of the pressure off Reds manager Dusty Baker and general manager Walt Jocketty, who eventually must decide which pitcher to remove from the rotation to make room for Cueto.

Johnny Cueto is set to come off the DL and rejoin the Reds' rotation soon. (AP Photo)

Rookie Tony Cingrani, the organization’s top prospect, has been marvelous (2-0, 1.50 ERA, 0.889 WHIP, 28 strikeouts in 18 innings) in place of Cueto. Those numbers indicate Cingrani belongs in the majors, but he could be sent down in an attempt to limit his innings. That way, he would be available for a call-up later this season and would be available in September/October.

If the Reds elect to keep Cingrani in the rotation after Cueto returns, they would move Mike Leake to the bullpen. Leake has a 4.34 ERA and a 1.517 WHIP in five starts. In two of his previous three starts, Leake pitched seven innings and allowed two total runs. But he lasted only three innings in his most recent outing.

Leake will start Friday against the Chicago Cubs, and his next two turns might determine his fate. Cingrani follows him Saturday; if he shows any signs of regression over his next two starts, it could provide an excuse to option him back to Class AAA. Cingrani already has faced the Cubs this season, holding them to two earned runs and striking out nine batters in seven innings.

Righting the Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are relieved that there is nothing physically wrong with R.A. Dickey, but an injury would have helped to explain the knuckleballer’s struggles in his first six starts (2-4, 4.50 ERA, 1.306 WHIP, five homers allowed).

Dickey has been dealing with neck and back issues, and an MRI exam Wednesday showed inflammation but no structural damage. Dickey will make his scheduled start Saturday against the Seattle Mariners.

And Dickey isn’t the Blue Jays’ only concern. Toronto isn’t getting the pitching it believed it would from a remade rotation and placed Josh Johnson (triceps) on the disabled list Thursday. Exiled starter Ricky Romero will be called up from Class A to start Friday.

The offense, meanwhile, ranks in the bottom half of the AL in runs, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. And the Blue Jays will be without leadoff man Jose Reyes (ankle) for at least another couple of months.

Warm Trout

After a sluggish start on offense and defense, Los Angeles Angels phenom Mike Trout is heating up. Entering the first of four games against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, he had four hits (a double, two triples and a homer) with three runs scores and five RBIs in his previous eight at-bats.

“He took some really good swings on breaking balls in that series,” an AL scout said. “To me, that indicates he is seeing it better and selecting pitches. It’s a nice sign a guy could bust out.”

Trout also has returned to center field with Peter Bourjos (hamstring) on the DL. Perhaps moving back to his natural position will help him get back into a defensive groove as well.

Sunday duel

Darvish might be the league’s best pitcher—he leads the AL 58 strikeouts and missed a perfect game by only one out earlier this season—but he will be tested by one of the majors’ best offenses.

Lester is off to one of the best starts of his career, but has failed to deliver a quality start in his past two outings.

Strasburg watch

The latest on Washington Nationals righthander Stephen Strasburg is that he needs to relax a bit because “sometimes you try and live up to your press clippings.” Then there was the revelation that Strasburg was having tightness in his right forearm, leading to alarms going off around the country.

Strasburg rolled his eyes at the assertion he might be hurt—an injury would explain his 1.205 WHIP—and he has been cleared to take the ball Saturday in Pittsburgh.